Royce Henson vanished alongside his mother, Kathleen, with their last known sighting in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on March 23, 1979. Kathleen was employed at Roger’s Records, located in the 5000 block of North Peoria Avenue, where her job granted her access to concert tickets.
On the night of her disappearance, Kathleen made a phone call to some friends at 11:30 p.m., informing them that she would be arriving within an hour to deliver tickets. She was driving her father's vehicle, a brown four-door 1969 Chrysler sedan. However, Kathleen and Royce never reached their destination and have not been heard from since.
Kathleen, who was divorced, had another son, ten-year-old Eamon, to whom she was very close. She had dropped Eamon off at his father’s workplace on the evening of March 23, intending for him to stay only a few hours. Later that night, Eamon’s father dropped him back at Kathleen’s house, unaware of her absence. Finding the house locked and without a key, Eamon entered through a window and went to bed. The next morning, upon discovering that his mother still hadn't returned, he contacted her best friend, who then reached out to Kathleen’s parents.
On March 25, Kathleen’s father’s car was discovered abandoned and locked at the intersection of Ute Street and Peoria Avenue in Tulsa. The vehicle was parked crookedly, an unusual characteristic for Kathleen’s typically careful driving. There was no trace of Kathleen or Royce at the location.
Inside the car, authorities found Kathleen’s straw coin purse, her driver’s license, Social Security card, a baby bottle, and a single credit card. Kathleen was not carrying any money, extra clothing, or supplies such as diapers and bottles for Royce when she vanished. Her loved ones doubt she knew anyone residing near the area where the car was found. A search of the Henson residence yielded no evidence of a struggle.
Before her disappearance, Kathleen had expressed fear of a male acquaintance involved in criminal activities. Initially, her parents suspected she might have left voluntarily to take a break. However, as weeks passed without any word from her, they feared something more sinister had occurred. Since 1979, there has been no sign of Kathleen or Royce.
Following the initial report of Kathleen and Royce's disappearance, the police conducted a cursory examination of her car and apartment but did not pursue further investigation. The case was not reopened until 1984, prompted by inquiries from Kathleen’s mother regarding her daughter’s status.
Authorities suspect foul play in the disappearances of Kathleen and Royce, which remain unresolved. Kathleen was thirty years old at the time, and Royce was just eighteen months. They have not been seen or heard from since that fateful night.
On the evening they vanished, Kathleen had dropped off her older son to visit his father around 10:30 p.m. She had borrowed her father's car to deliver concert tickets to a friend. Kathleen’s parents grew concerned after being informed by her best friend that Eamon had been left alone all night. Eamon, unable to enter the house, had climbed through a window to sleep. He later contacted his mother’s friend in Tahlequah, expressing his fears, which led the friend to alert Kathleen’s parents.
Kathleen’s friend, expecting the delivery of tickets, reported that Kathleen never arrived. The following day, this friend noticed a 1969 Chrysler abandoned on Ute Street, which Kathleen’s father confirmed was his. The car was locked and parked haphazardly, with Kathleen’s coin purse and identification inside.
An article from that time reveals that Kathleen had confided her fears regarding a known acquaintance involved in criminal acts. Although the police are aware of this individual’s identity, he has neither been named nor charged in relation to the disappearances. The investigation saw little progress until 1984, when Kathleen’s mother sought updates. Despite reopening the case, no substantial developments have been made. In 2008, both Kathleen’s father and her older son publicly voiced their belief that Royce's father may have been responsible for the disappearances, citing previous abuse Kathleen suffered at his hands.
To this day, Kathleen and Royce remain missing, and no arrests have been made in connection with their disappearance.
If you have any information regarding the case of Kathleen and Royce Henson, please contact the Tulsa Police Department at 918-596-9143.
0 Comments